Rising above the noise

It’s hard to develop a brand. It takes enormous effort, huge willpower, confidence, resources, patience and a thick skin. You’ll face doubt, distractions and problems. It’s gruelling …. But none of that is the toughest bit. Far from it. The most intimidating aspect is actually building a brand that consciously and clearly stands apart from everything else that is being built – everything else that is competing for the same audience you want to reach.

Here’s a simple and devastating question. Whose going to be most excited about what you’re working on right now? I’m not talking about while it’s under development. I’m talking about once it’s been released to the market.

If the real answer is you, chances are you’re not building a brand that has the greatest chance of counting. You’re actually investing a huge amount in something that will, in the end, just contribute to more of the noise that everyone says they are fighting against – and you’ll be forced to bank on luck, persistence, advertising or price point to convince enough people to somehow swing your way and make all the effort worth it.

You don’t beat the noise by raising the volume. Sound thinking doesn’t add to the clatter. It cuts through it.